High speed relay



May 12, 1931.

A. M. CURTIS 1,804,746

HIGH SPEED RELAY Filed June 23, 1928 g Q mmlmll' HHHHIQ mnlllll ATTOEWEY Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE AUSTEN M. CURTIS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEXV YORK Application file-'1 June 23,

- pedite the adjusting of a high speed threeposition signaling relay.

A feature of the invention includes means 7 for quickly and conveniently relieving the armature of a signaling relay from the restraint of its ad usting springs in order to I permit itto be adjusted to a position of magnetic equilibrium with respect to the poles of the magnetic circuit. 5

In the application above mentioned, there '25 is. described and claimed a high speed twoposition relay and in Fig. 5 thereof, there is shown one modification of that relay which is suitable for use as a three-position relay. A relay of this type is provided with means for centering the contact arm of the armature, which means consists in this, that the ends of the springs are clamped between a flat surface and the rough surface of a vertical knurled pin. This method of centering, however, suffers from the following disadvantages. First, although one of the gripping surfaces is rough, the other must be smooth, and lack of sufiicientcare in tightening the clamping screw is likely to permit the tends to .cut the spring ends, thus causing their rapid wearing out. Third, in adjusting the relay, it is necessary first to-center the relay armature magnetically, which requires that the armature be freed from control of the springs by removing the rough surfaced pin, and which in turn requires the removal of the smooth clamping surface and ofthe 5o: screw which adjustsits pressure against the,

spring to slip and thus throw the relay out HIGH SPEED RELAY 1928. Serial No. 287,714.

spring, a procedure which is time-consuming and tedious. The readjustment of the armature to a central position and to a specified sensitivity is also tedious as the tension of the springs must be regulated by minute rotations of the roughknurled pin.

In accordance with the present invention, centering of the relay armature and its adj ustment to any specified or desired sensitivity may be carried out with a high degree of accuracy and expediency. lVhereas in relays of the earlier'type the centering and adjusting operations normally consumed approximately one hour, a relay, in accordance with the present invention, may usually be adj usted in five minutes. This is an important consideration in a system wherein a large number of relays must be adjusted from time to time.

One method of practicing this invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l represents a top view, partly in section of the completely assembled relay embodying the invention; 4

Fig. 2 shows a vertical sectional view of the improved spring construction taken from line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the improved spring construction taken from line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of the mode of mounting the rear end of the improved relay springs, only one spring end being shown.

] Referring now to Fig. 1, secured to the base 10 by means of a pivot screw 11 is the relay carriage '12 through the aperture of which extends the head of armature stem 30. Secured to the head of the armature stem is a contact arm 39 having a substantially triangular form, as shown, and made of a thin plate of strong but light material, such as duralumin. The plate is preferably rein forced by lateral flanges 21 which extend beyond the apex of the triangle and form a tongue 22 carrying contacts 23 adapted to touch fixed contacts 25, held in massive blocks ll. The other extremities of flanges 21 extend rearwardly to provide ears 27 by means of which the contact arm 39 is fastened to the top of armature stem 30.

In its normal position the contact point 23 i of contact arm 39 is out of engagement with either of the contacts 25 although the gaps separating the contact points fromgcontacts 25 are of the order of .002 inch only. This closely balanced position of the relay ann' achieved by means of springs 26 which are connected to posts carried onopp'osite' sides of armature stem 30 by screws 44. Springs 26 are made of relatively strong but resilient material, such as phosphor bronze, and extend rearwardly in substantially parallel planes on opposite sides of knife edge 14 The springs are mounted at both sides of post 42 in a manner to be described below, and in conjunction withspring member 24 (see Fig, hold the armature stem 30 with an evenly balanced pressure against knife edge 14. In accordance with the invention the springs are narrowed in width for a portion of their length asshow'n atQO in Fig. 2

for the purpose of making this portion inferior in'streng-th to the remainder of the spring and" screws- 16 are provided and adapted to travel throughapertured and threaded posts 31 to press adjustablyupon said narrowed portion in such a fashion that the variation of pressure againstthe' springs adjusts the tension which the portion 43 of the spring opposes to the movement of armature stem 30 and cont-act arm 39. 7

Furthermore, in accordance with the invention the springs are mounted upon member 42 of the carriage by means of slots I8, provided in the rear ends of the springs, and hooks 19, as shown in detail in Fig; 4, in such a fashion that they may be demounteafrcm member 42 with great ease and expediency.

In this manner, when centering of the relay armature becomes necessary, it suflices to unscrew members- 16 until the portions of:

spring 26 extending'to the rear of frets 32 are no longer constrained lay-member 16 and, by exerting slight tension, upon the rear portions of the s rings,disengagirig them from hooks 19. has, the adjusting of the armature to a position of magnetic equilib rium with respect to the poles of the magnetic circuit is greatly facilitated and expedited.

The improvements herein described are not limited in their applicationto relays but be a lied to electroma netic re irod'ucy P e ers of the type ,described in United States patent to Holland 1,663,885 March 27, 1928 or to other similar devices.

What is claimed is: 1. In an electromagnetic d oe, a vibrating armature, means comprisin two partly justsble means iiidivi arcane contractile spa gs tadinally-tc flex in a p perpendicular to the axis or said vibrat" g armature, and tidf can to each of aid tensicned lo g1- springs for exerting a lateral adjustable pressure upon each of said sprlngs for varying the tension thereof.

2. In an electromagnetic device, an armature carrying a contact arm, said armature being a dj ustably balanced on a= knife edge by two cooperative springs, the extremitiesof said springs which are farthest removed from said armature bcingprovided' with slots engaging hooks, whereb-y'the' armature may be rapidlyrelieved from the restraint of the springs.

3. In an electromagnetic device, an armature carryinga; contact arm, said armature being adjustably balanced on a knife edge by two cooperative springs having a= pert-ion of reduced width, the extremities of said springs which are farthest removed from said armature being provided with apertures engaging means for opposing longitudinal displacements of said springs.

4. In an electromagnetic device such as a high speed relay, a vibrating armature carrying two partly curved coacting springs tensionedi longitudinally, and means for adjust-in'g the tension of one spring independently of the tension of the other spring.

5. In an electromagnetic device, a vibrating armature, means comprising", two partly curved springs, one on eachside of the axis of oscillation of said armature,- means for exerting lateral pressure in a plane perpendicular to the axis of oscillation upon the with a'djustable means acting upon said portion of reduced width for varying the tension with which said springs oppose the motion' and correct misadjustments' of said ar-' mature.

1 7. In an electromagnetic device such as high speed relay, an electromagnetic repro du'c'jer or'the like, a vibrating armature, means comprising partly arcuate contractile springs connected to the armature and tensioned long' irt udinally to flex in a-plane perpendicular to the axis of said vibrating armature, and

. rigid adjustable means" laterally impinging upon said springs for exerting a lateral adjustable pressure" thereupon.

8, In an electromagnetic device such as a high s peed relay, electromagnetic reprociacer or thelikegan arai-aureamafig in a lane, a spring having a parties assisted engi- 

